Pliers, tongs, or the like



Aug. 5, 1930.

` J.- .LP'ALoTcE' PLIERS, TONGS, OB THE LIKE Filed Jan. 2o, 1930 www@ mgm Patented Aug. 5, 1930 PATENT OFFICE JOHN J. PALoTcE, or YoU-NGsrowN, omo

`TPLIERS, TONGS, R LIKE i Application filed January 20,` 1930. k.Serial No. 422,130,`

"This inventionis a novell improvement in pliers, tongs, tweezers, and the like, and the particular objects of the invention are to provide such tools orgrippinginstruments "8 with means on the handles or cross-handles ofthe tools for automatically locking'they Y jaws in engagement with the article kwhich is gripped bythe tools and' in vany adjusted positien of the handles galso to providemanuallyoperable means for releasingthe locking means when desired to permit ropening of the locked jaws, and ,for maintaining thelockingmeans inoperative upon subsequent manipulation of the handles. Other minor obtS of the invention will be hereinafter set forth. e c

I will explain the invention with reference tethe` accompanying drawing kwhich illustrates one practical'embo-diment thereof to *2G enable others to adopt and use the same and will summarizeA inthe claims the novel features of construction, and novel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

"lnsaid drawings Fig. 1 is a side view of a pair of pliers embodying my invention. j y j Fig. Qis a section on the line 24%2, Fig. l.

Fig. Sis a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2.1

"`Fig.4 is a section; on theline 4 4, Fig.ll. Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section on theline 5-45 Fig. 2; and

' Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 6-6,1Fig. 4. 4' Myk invention is illustrated in connection with afpair of'pliers of ordinary type'having werk engaging jawsA, A, operated bycross- `handlesB and@ pivoted at `D,"the handles 13,0, being normally yieldably separated to open the jaws A- by means of a spring E interposedbetween the handles adjacent the pivot D, c `My invention however is not limitedto use on pliers of the type shown, for obviously same maybe readily adapted for use iny conf` nectionV withl tongs, tweezers, and various materially thickened in depthasat C adjaber 7 is pulled rearwardly (or to the right,

cent the slot. Slot 2 is provided with anV ar-j cuate rear Vwall 2a lying adjacent the onter periphery of tongue l, and with a forwardly inclined front wall 2b forming an upwards ly flaring Vrecess with the inner peripheryof` the arcuate tongue l, the lower end of the in-V clined wall 2b of slot 2 terminating adjacentl the inner periphery of thefarcuate tongue 1f. A wedging roller 3 is normally yieldably e urged downwardly into wedging position in eeny thel lower endof the recess against the inner periphery of arcuate `tongue l by means" of springs 4 interposed between a guide plate' carried by the roller 3 and a removable plate 6 on the upper face ofthe handle C covering the recess, the cover plate 6 being provided with a slot 6a (Fig. 2) for the passage` of the arcuate tongue l therethrough.

Manually operable means are also provid: ed foi-)raising and` thereby releasing roller means shown comprising a Ushaped member 7 slidably mounted upon thev rear end of enlarged portion C of handle C, the side legs of: member 7 having slots 7a therein for receiving retaining pins 7b which are toV hold member 7 from coming olf and whereby the member may be shifted toward or away from the'roller 3. .Extending from the base of U`. shaped member 7 vare two spaced `wedge shaped prongs 7 c (Fig. 4) slidably mounted in bores7d in the portion C of the handle and disposed on opposite sides of the arcuate i tongue l as shown more particularly in Figs. 4 and 6. The outer ends of the wedge shaped prongs 7 c are tapered downwardly and 11nderlie the opposite ends of roller 3 as shown in 5, wherebywhen theA U-shaped mem- Fig. the wedgeshaped prongs 7.c will recede to lower roller 4 and permit the roller vto bind orwedge betweenfthe inclined wall 2"` of the recess and the'inner periphery of the arcuate ltongue l, but when the member 7is pushed forwardly (or to the left, Fig. l) the wedge shaped .prongs 7 'of U-shaped member 7 will raise roller 3 out of wedging position and maintain the roller so elevated that handles B and C may be operated freely Ait() Without bringing roller 3 into locking engagement.

Means are also provided for yieldably retaining the U-shaped memberV 7 in adjusted position, which means; as illustrated, consists of springs 8 housed in bores extending down through the enlarged portion C of the handle C and communicating with the bores 7d or the wedge-shaped prongs 7; and in the lower ends of the bores I place balls 9 seating upon the prongs 7 c (Fig. 6) which ballsv are urged by springs 8 into frictional engagement with the prongs 7 and urged to seat inv receses 7 X in the tops of the prongs 7 C.; and balls 9 will yieldably hold the prongs 7 c of the U'sh'ap`e'd' member7 in any position to which the member is adjusted. The springs 8 are retained in the bores by the cover member 6. j

, In operation; if it is desired that the pliers shall retain their grip upon the member held in the jaws A-A, the U-shaped member 7 should be pulled rearwardly away from the arcuate member 1 so as to lower the roller 3 which will then slide along the face of the inner periphery of tongue 1 as the handles B. C, arebeing closed together, butl if` attempt is then made to open the handles `the roller 3 willimmediately wedge between the inclined wall Q of recess 2 and the arcuate tongue 1 and thus prevent such opening of the handles until the U-shaped member 7 has been pushed forwardly sufficiently to raise roller 8 outv of wedging contact as hereinbefore explained.

I do not limit my invention to the exact form shown in the drawing, for obviously changes maybe made therein within the scope of the claims.

I claim: ,j

1. Atool having ing handles, one of the handles having a slot with an inclined wall at one side; a tongue on the other handle extending through said slot a roller in the slot adapted to wedge between the inclined` wall and the f tongue as the handles are separated; and means fordisengaging the roller from-the tongue.

2. In a tool as set forth in claim 1; a removable cover plate over said slot having an opening therein for the passage of the tongue; and a spring interposed between the roller and cover plate.

L' 3. In a tool as set forth in claim 1; said disengaging means comprising a member slidably mounted on the handle; and prongs on Lsaid member slidably mounted in bores eX- tending `through the handle and underlying t-he roller; the prongs being wedge-shaped whereby as the member is shifted the roller will be raised by the prongs or allowed to lower.

4. A tool having gripping jaws and opern ating handles; one of the handles having a slot with an inclined wall at one side; a tongue on the Other handle extending through said slot;

gripping jaws and operata roller in the slot adapted to wedge between the inclined wall and the tongue as the handles are separated; means for disengaging the roller from the tongue; and means for locking the disengaging means.

5. In a tool as set forth in claim 4;, a removable cover plate over said slot having an opening therein for the passage of the tongue; and springs interposed between the roller and cover plate.

, 6. 'In a tool as setforth in claim 4, said disengaging `means comprising a member slidably mounted on the handle; prongs on said member slidably mounted in bores extending through' the handle at opposite sides of the slot, said prongs underlying the ends of the roller theV prongs being wedge-shaped whereby as the member is shifted the roller'will be raised by the prongs or allowed to lower.

7. Atool having gripping jaws and operating handles; one of the handles having aslot with a recess at one side of the `slot hav, ing an inclined wall; a tongue on the other handle extending through said slot; a roller the recess; means foryieldably urging the roller to wedge between theinclined wall of the recess and the tongue; and manually operablemeans for shifting the roller out' of wedging relation with the tongue.

8. In a tool4 as set forth in claim 7, a removable cover plate over said slot and recess, said plate having an opening therein forthe passage of the tongue; and said yieldable means comprising springs interposed between the. roller and cover plate.

9. In a tool as set forth in claimf?, said manually operable means comprising aimember slidably mounted on the handle;prongs,on said member slidablv mounted in bores ex-y tending thronghthe handle at opposite sides of the slot. said prongs underlying the 'endsv of the roller: the prongs being wedge-shaped whereby as `the member is shifted the roller will be raised by the prongs or allowed to lower.

10. A tool having gripping jaws and pivoted operating handles.;one` of the handles having a slot and having a recessat one side of the slot, said recess having an inclined wall; an arcuate tongue on the other handle concentric with the pivotv and extending through said slot; aroller in the lower end of the recess :means for yield ablv urgingthe roller to wedge between the inclined wall of the recess and the tongue: manually Aoperable means for raising the roller out ofwedging j relation with the tongue; and means for lockin the manual means in adjusted position.

11. In a tool as set forth in claim 10,'a removable cover plate overv said Slot and -recess; said plate having an opening therein for the passage of the tongue; and said yieldable means comprising springs interposed between the roller and cover plate. Y f n 12. In a tool as set forth in claim -said manually operable means comprising a member slidably mounted on the handle adjacent 'the slot; parallel prongs on saidy member slidably mounted in bores extending through the n handle on opposite sides of the slot, said prongs underlying the ends of the roller; the

prongs being wedge-shaped,k whereby as the i member is shifted the roller will` be raised Va member slidably mounted on the handle adjacent the slot; prongs on said'member slidably mounted in bores extending on opposite sides of the slot, said prongs underlying the ends of the roller; the prongs being wedgeshaped whereby as the member is shifted the roller will be raised bythe prongs or allowed to lower.

14C. In a tool as set forth in claim 13, means for locking the slidable member in adjusted position.

' l5. In a tool as set krforthin claim 13, saidl handle having bores registering `with and normal tothe bores for the prongs; balls in said bores contacting with the prongs; and

' springs in the bores for urging the balls against the prongs for looking thepsame in adjusted position.

v JOHN JQPALOTCE. 

